Education and participation benefits give children, teenagers and young adults from financially disadvantaged families the opportunity to take advantage of school and leisure activities if they would otherwise not be able to afford them, giving them better opportunities for education and development.

The benefits for education and participation include

Excursions and school trips lasting several days

The actual costs of one-day school excursions and trips lasting several days within the framework of school regulations are covered if all requirements are met. The same applies to one-day excursions and trips lasting several days for children who attend a day care center or for whom day care is provided.

Personal school supplies

Pupils receive an allowance of EUR 195 for school equipment (e.g. for school bags, sports kit and writing, arithmetic and drawing materials) in the calendar year 2025 in two installments (generally EUR 130 on 1 August and EUR 65 on 1 February). The personal school needs allowance is adjusted annually by the same percentage as the standard needs allowance.

School transport

For pupils who are dependent on school transport to attend the nearest school of their chosen course of education, the actual expenses required for this are taken into account if the transport costs are not covered elsewhere. In Bavaria, school transport may be covered by other means, in particular by the regulations on free travel to and from school (see "Related topics"). There is no provision for a regular personal contribution.

Learning support

Pupils receive appropriate learning support insofar as this supplements the school curriculum and is suitable and additionally necessary to achieve the main learning objectives. This does not necessarily require a risk of promotion. The prerequisite for this is that the school offers to be used primarily are not sufficient. The necessity of learning support can be confirmed by the school, for example.

Lunch

For each child entitled to benefits, the expenses for participation in a communal lunch at school, in a day care center or in child day care are paid. The child is not required to pay a contribution per lunch.

Support for participation in the areas of culture, sport, games, socializing and leisure activities

Up to the age of 18, children/young people entitled to benefits are entitled to at least EUR 15 per month for attending a sports club or music school, for example, and incurring fees or costs for equipment. The participation budget can be saved to a limited extent.

In Erlangen, education and participation benefits (e.g. for excursions, school trips, lunches, etc.) for children, young people and young adults are approved and settled via the so-called BuT account (www.but-konto.de). To use this account, parents must submit an application for their children to the Central Office for Education and Participation / ErlangenPass.

Service providers (e.g. schools, day-care centers, caterers, clubs, tutoring institutes) require the child's ErlangenPass number for billing purposes. As a service provider, please follow the instructions in the manuals.

Eligible for benefits for education and participation are children, adolescents and young adults up to the age of 25 (except: benefits to support participation in the areas of culture, sport, games, socializing and leisure activities - age limit there: 18 years) who cannot cover their education and participation needs from their own income and assets or their family's own income and assets and who are therefore entitled to basic income support for jobseekers or social assistance (or are only not entitled because all needs are covered except for the need for education and participation), or are entitled to benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act or whose families receive child supplement or housing benefit.

We recommend that you contact the relevant office directly to check the specific requirements for the individual education and participation benefits.

Basic benefits for jobseekers

If you have already submitted a "basic application" for basic benefits for jobseekers, it is currently not necessary to submit a separate application for education and participation benefits.

In this case, you can submit an informal application for education and participation benefits to the job center responsible for your place of residence or to the city or district office. The required attachments must be submitted.

If you have not yet received basic benefits for jobseekers, you must submit an application.

Benefits within the framework of social assistance

A prior application is required for all benefits of the education and participation package - with the exception of school requirements. A separate application must also be submitted for learning support benefits. The application must be submitted to the social welfare office responsible for your place of residence (district city or district office).

Benefits under the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act (AsylbLG)

A prior application is required for all benefits of the education and participation package - with the exception of school requirements. A separate application must also be submitted for learning support benefits. Applications must be submitted to the local provider of AsylbLG benefits responsible for your place of residence (district city or district office).

Child supplement and housing benefit

If you receive child supplement or housing benefit, a separate application is required for education and participation benefits. The application can be submitted informally, e.g. by e-mail.

In this case, the application must be submitted to the locally responsible district office or the locally responsible independent city.

Claims for benefits under the education and participation package for recipients of basic benefits for jobseekers must be made within a current approval period.

In general, a prior application is required for all benefits of the education and participation package within the framework of social assistance and the enforcement of the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act - with the exception of school requirements.

Claims for benefits under the education and participation package for families with child supplement or housing benefit expire 12 months after the end of the calendar month in which they arose.

• Required documents:
  
  • Invoices, receipts and other evidence, if applicable
  • Certificate from the school, if applicable

  The responsible office will inform you of any other documents that may be required.

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